Oklahoma Perfect After 72-61 Win

With freshman standout Courtney Paris dominating play, Oklahoma didn’t have to be perfect to complete its undefeated run through the Big 12 Conference.

Paris had 24 points and 26 rebounds, and the No. 8 Sooners, already the first Big 12 women’s team to go 16-0 in conference play, won the tournament championship with a 72-61 victory over defending national champion and 10th-ranked Baylor on Saturday night at Dallas.

“It’s an amazing accomplishment,” Coach Sherri Coale said.

Oklahoma (29-4) won its third tournament title in five seasons despite a season-high 32 turnovers.

“I’m so proud of our kids. I thought they competed well and showed team unity throughout,” Coale said. “I realize we set the game back 15 years with our turnovers. You throw it to them 32 times and win -- we must have done something right.”

The Sooners relied on their 6-foot-4 center, as they have all season.

Paris was selected the most valuable player of the tournament. She had 77 points and 52 rebounds over three games, and is already well on the way to breaking many of the Big 12 records Sophia Young set over the last four seasons at Baylor (24-6).

The 26 rebounds broke the Big 12 tournament record of 16 Paris set in Oklahoma’s opening game of the week. She has 497 rebounds, and almost certainly will become the third woman to reach 500 in Oklahoma’s first NCAA game.

Paris had 14 rebounds by halftime, but Oklahoma led only 31-27. The Sooners already had 19 turnovers, and Baylor turned those into 14 points to stay close even while making eight of 42 shots (19%).

ATLANTIC SUN

Shontavia Williams scored 26 points at Dothan, Ala., to lead Florida Atlantic (20-10) to a 74-63 victory over Gardner-Webb (14-16) and a berth into the NCAA tournament.

BIG SOUTH

Allyson Fasnacht made a 10-foot shot with 16 seconds left, and Liberty (25-5) held on for a 53-50 victory over High Point (20-10) at Lynchburg, Va.

BIG SKY

Alyssa Wahl scored 19 points and Kim Winkfield had 17 to help Northern Arizona (22-10) to a 74-59 victory over Weber State (15-15) at Pocatello, Idaho.

COLONIAL

Old Dominion (22-8) won the Colonial Athletic Assn. title for the 15th year in a row with a 58-54 victory over James Madison (24-6) at Fairfax, Va.

MID-AMERICAN

Carin Horne scored 16 points at Cleveland, and No. 24 Bowling Green (28-2) held Kent State (21-9) to a season-low point total in a 64-39 victory, giving the Falcons their second consecutive conference tournament title.

MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC

Rashida Suber scored 14 points to lead Coppin State (22-8) to its second consecutive conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with a 46-36 victory over Delaware State (21-9) at Raleigh, N.C.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Julie Larsen scored 24 points to lead No. 19 Utah past No. 20 Brigham Young, 84-60, at Denver, giving the Utes (24-6) the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. The regular-season champion Cougars are 25-5.

NORTHEAST

Amanda Pape had 25 points and 14 rebounds to lead Sacred Heart (26-4) to its first Northeast title with a 69-65 win over Quinnipiac (22-8) at Fairfield, Conn.

SOUTHLAND

Britany Vinson led three players in double figures with 17 points as Stephen F. Austin (23-7) earned the tournament’s NCAA bid with a 56-48 over Texas San Antonio (18-12) at Nacogdoches, Texas.

SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC

Rolanda Monroe scored 17 points to help Southern (19-10) earn a berth to the NCAA tournament with a 61-58 victory over Alabama State (17-13) at Birmingham, Ala.

WESTERN ATHLETIC

Tasha Williams scored 19 points and Aarica Ray-Boyd had 15 to lead Louisiana Tech (26-4) to a 63-39 victory over New Mexico State (10-20) at Reno.